Same here, except I was glad I drove. Good day to eat and hydrate.

It was 10C/59F, virtually windless, clear and sunny but early on in the ride, when behind hills or other sun blocks, it felt cooler but there was a lot of mist off nearby lakes and swamps. However, by about 20% of the way in to the 50km/30mi ride, I was on higher elevation and there was less mist in the areas around me.

My legs feel like jelly: 60km yesterday, 50km this morning, I shouldn't be surprised. A final push toward my June goal of 1,000km tomorrow and I can relax for the next few days. I won't reach 1,000km tomorrow, I expect to be about 50km short but I'll have the weekend and 4 days next week to do some slow easy rides to complete the distance.

Consecutive bicycle commute number ninety-two:

Took the long way to work this morning. We have a MUP that goes around the middle 1/3 of our city in a loop about 20 miles long. It's kind of nice because it's like having a bypass highway to get around via bike. I'll ride a mile from my house to get on the trail, ride the trail without having to deal with traffic or stop signs, and then get off the trail near my destination and finish the ride.

Anyway, at the client location I'm working at today I'll normally ride about three miles down the MUP. Today though, I turned the opposite direction and rode the long way around. Logged about 19 miles total. Wind was a little stiffer than expected, and I rode straight into it for a good chunk of the ride. Temp was in the upper 50s, but the humidity was high so it felt pretty chilly; I'm glad I wore gloves.

About a 1/2 mile from where I was supposed to get off the trail and head to the office there's a spot where a railroad track crosses the MUP. Today there was a train sitting motionless on the track, blocking my way. So I had to turn around and ride 1/4 mile back to a side road and ride the streets. Of course, once I was on my detour I heard the train start up and blow its horn. I cranked as hard as I could and rode two blocks farther down, then took a right turn and crossed the tracks before the train reached the intersection. I even made it across before the warning lights started to flash. It was a long train and I didn't want to sit there and wait for it.

In an unrelated note, after comparing numbers for a bunch of rides I've figured out my cycle computer is within +-.001 miles of accuracy as compared to what the GPS on my phone calculates. I'm impressed it matches up that close. Yes, I still use a cycle computer and keep my phone in my pocket. :)

Nice ride yesterday, but dang hot and humid. I usually ride Tu/Th but this week rode yesterday (Wednesday) and possibly tomorrow because I was feeling gross Monday evening into Tuesday. The good thing about hot and humid is that usually means a healthy tail wind for my afternoon commute, which is always fun. :)

Not a commute but I rode around town on my 90's MTB turned rigid gravel bike last Saturday, and ended up cutting through a golf course (concrete cart paths only, never on the grass). I went through there from the back to the front back in February without any problems. This time I went front to back, starting at the clubhouse, and a guy in the cart garage started yelling at me "Hey you!! You can't be on the course!!" I sprinted past and cut across onto a gravel path back in behind some trees (service path or something), then kept on going out into the neighborhood back behind the course. Oh well, it was quite the adventure. :P

Nice commute in this morning. Got started about ten minutes later than normal and noticed the increase in traffic on the highway section. Plenty of wildlife around to enjoy. Experienced several courteous drivers who waited for me to ride by instead of pulling out in front of me. I'm on a truck route for a few miles that's rough with potholes, no shoulder and several RR crossings within a couple hundred yards. Not a good situation except traffic is light. There's a distribution company on a side road and I've had a driver(s) who have waited for me to go by before pulling out and then stay behind me going slow until the road widens and it's safe to pass. Happened again today so as soon as I got to my office I fired up my computer and sent the company an email asking them to extend my appreciation and thanks for his courtesy and patience to that driver.

Today is the fourth day in a row riding to work (and back). This is a record for me at this job which I have had for a year and a half.

Yesterday I believe I made my best time ever on my trip back home. I think I have figured out how to fit myself on my bike better than ever. I'm feeling stronger than I have felt in years.

Not only that, as of this morning, I have ridden 315 miles this month, which breaks my record for any month since I started recording about two years ago. In about a week, I am going to break my record for miles ridden in a year. Last year, my record was about 1,200 miles, and I'll break that when the year is half over.

I decided to ride to work today even though there's a chance of rain later. I might get wet, but I plan to shower and change after I get home.

I haven't had headwinds in a few days, which is unusual. But today I got them. Not too bad, and with a little luck, the wind direction won't change in the middle of the day as it often does.

Good going, Tom! :thumb:

My commute this morning was uneventful except for a lot of little bugs, the ones that look like snowflakes in the headlight and feel like... well, they feel like little bugs bouncing off me.

And another clueless deer grazing at the side of the road, jumped into the underbrush when I went by.

Nice and cool this morning. Decided to ride in from home so will get the ~48 miles and 3hrs on the bike today. Saw that it wasn't going to rain in the forecast so went for it. With riding from home 2 days a week, I'm getting close to ~160 miles a week. I feel strong so am happy. Just have to ride smarter on the longer rides to not burn out too much and have something left to play with my son (the crazy 3.75 yr old). :) Met a guy in central park yesterday on a BMC. He was hitting it pretty hard and out of the saddle for what seemed like half of the time. Rode with him from after Harlem Meer hill until the other side of the park. But on the other side, he dropped me like a bad habit. Strong thin dude he was. Told him he should consider racing but he didn't say anything in response. He could have been a hairly legged veteran for all I know...

One thing I dislike about riding certain areas at night is the number of gnats and mosquitoes. I'm generally going too fast for the mosquitoes to keep up, but it's like riding through a dust storm; can't inhale through my mouth, hits near my eyes are distracting, and I've occasionally gotten one up the nose. Finally got some light amber motorcycle glasses for the eyes, but still looking for a good hot weather balaclava-type mask.

I do not understand why drivers speed into the intersection and hard stop well past the stop line. I was driving today and I had two situations that made me gasp with drivers doing this. Plus it was really wet today and I fear for their stopping ability on a wet possibly greasy patch of road. There easily could have been pedestrians or cyclists that are obstructed by bushes and parked cars.

That is excellent about the distribution company. I hope they extend your gratitude.

It's hot Dang hot!
 

I walked outside and it was 72 and 80% humidty felt like riding through fog. I was sweating before the end of the my street. Makes me glad I ride in bib shorts and jersey.

Cooler this morning but didn't help much. KCMO closed another of my routes due to some BS event. They don't give any heads up either and on a bike that means climbing a hill or hills. I hate this corrupt city with a passion and looking forward to the day I don't have ride to it.

A little cooler this morning than yesterday, though still plenty humid. Nothing to complain about. I made a short stop to try and get some pictures of some sunflowers, but I was short on time and it isn't what I hoped. I need to leave a bit earlier one day next week and have a few more minutes to get something better there.
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1466771337

Pretty good ride into work. Although my stomach was a bit messed up and I felt like crap at the outset, I did manage to catch my wind...right after finally breaking some. Perfect weather helped too.

At my workplace, we get Fridays off in the summer. I'm still in bed now at 9am.

Weird commute, it felt like that auto insurance commercial where it's obstacle after obstacle.

We had heavy thunderstorms early this morning. There was still lightening in the distance a few drizzles when I headed out on the wet streets that were strewn with twigs, stems, leaves and a few branches.
On Highway 70S in Bellevue, I slow rolled through some police activity. Two police cars with blues flashing, one SUV between them.. I dunno.. kept on rolling.

I actually heard a tree fall, the crack and thud. It was behind me, opposite side of the road so no immediate danger but awareness quickened. I turned onto the Music City Bikeway (Post Road at 70S in West Meade) and there was a skunk in the middle of the road. I paused, it ran. It was headed down the road away from me. It began to drift toward the right, headed for a hedge row - I gunned it past on the far left side of the road.
The greenway was full of downed debris from the storm. I dodged the rabbits who are regulars on the path, then ran upon a couple of armadillos. Yep, possum in the shell.. I raced past them.. then on to Sylvan Park, to Centennial past the Parthenon and into the city, arriving at my office on Lower Broadway safe and sound . whew!! :thumb:

Any openings I can apply for?

This morning when I got on my bike my neighbor was in her yard watering. She said, "You're going to get sunstroke."

Wasn't sure what to reply, simply said, "You get used to it."

Thought about it on the way to work. Several people have told me similar things. Truth is I don't take the heat lightly. I've had heat exhaustion. Twice, many years ago. There was a period where I was afraid to go out in the summer sun here.

But the last few years I haven't had any problems. I hydrate before leaving work in the afternoon. Then try to monitor myself on the ride. I've been hot. Real hot. But no problems.

Two things, acclimation, SLOWLY getting used to the heat and building up a tolerance. And keeping hydrated. So far that is working for me. OTOH my rides are short in the afternoon.

I tell people all that. I don't think they believe it.

Tired legs, could only do the 9km route this morning but that's OK. It was a beautiful, hot (for me) morning ride, in bright sun.

Best commuting year ever, I've missed only 3 days since March 22, 2 of which were the result of a bad storm in mid-April. I'm not counting days that I didn't go to work. This month has been a big push to cycle 1,000km for the Great Cycle Challenge to raise money for charity so in July, I will likely ride just 22km in and either 9km or 22km home whereas many mornings in June, I've been riding between 32 and 50km in and 9 or 22 home. Had I had the legs yesterday and today to do 70km each day, I'd have finished it with this afternoon's commute home but I'll just take it easy; as of right now, I have 69km to go and with another ride of 9km home, I'll have 6 days left in the month to do the final 60km.

Have a great Friday (it is Fri-nally here) and weekend!!!

Have you tried one of those cooling scarves? They are a tube made out of a cotton kerchief that is filled with diaper stuffing (do I really need to tell you it is unused stuffing?). Here's how to make them: http://www.instructables.com/id/Sew-...l-Neck-Cooler/. A cousin of my wife makes them by ripping apart disposable diapers and gathering the crystals from there. The other day, I thought that having one of them would be nice because it was very hot out. I would probably want to make one from a dark cloth so that sweat stains would not be so visible.

This morning a mother duck and her seven babies entered a long bridge just before I did. Trapped with me behind them, the ducks took off waddling across as fast as they could. I stayed about 15 feet back. The mother positioned herself between the babies and me, quacking encouragement to her young. When they finally reached the other side they veered off into the brush. I'm sure they were exhausted from their long run.


See, this is why I like ducks more than geese. If this was a mother goose and her goslings, the mom would have had the babies stand their ground and then she would have gotten all up in my grill.

Well poo, was going to ride today but opted out. I accidenetally left my trunk bag at work yesterday when I had the car, so I had a backpack rigged to my bike's rear rack, which I wasn't sure was going to work very well. Plus I stayed up too late (again) last night and was tired this morning.

So I only got in one commute this week. :(

Heh. I recently had to stop along with a car for a gaggle of geese crossing the road. They were a few adults with some young ones. The baby geese had yellowish feathers. No probs with stopping with them. They just aren't the fastest walkers around.

Was a nice commute this morning from home. Second day in a row doing the longer distance (and end of the week) so feeling a bit tired. Will gear down a bit for the ride home and take it easy.

Are you saying that these ducks "took the lane"? Did you yell at them to "get off the &%^$ bridge"? Did you tell them you pay bridge taxes and that they're just freeloaders?

Most importantly, did you take a photo? :lol:

I'm always on the lookout for some riding glasses. Are the amber motorcycle glasses working for you? I get a fair amount of junk in my eyes at times whilst crossing the GWB.

I use some Tifosi clear glasses with photochromic lenses, and no frames along the bottom edge. Half frames are important for me because frames along the bottom causes a pretty bad blind spot when I do a shoulder check.

That is certainly nice. I was actually on track for an 8:30 arrival but got sidetracked by my wife wanting me to hang out while she got ready. I then got stuck in accident traffic but made it by 9. My earliest arrival in over 1.5 years!

I have always had good luck with Uvex Genesis and using clear, amber, or smoke lenses. They are durable as well. I am convinced they saved from a severe eye injury when I had my accident; I had a large (3ish inches) laceration just above my left eye and a broken nose.

Thanks for the tip. Have seen then for less then $7 here:

BettyMills: Uvex® Genesis X2? Eyewear - Honeywell 763-S3500

The replacement lenses are only around $4 - $5 or so. WOuld be curios to try them on. Will have to see if a major store carries them near me.

They sometimes fog like crazy when stopped, but clear right away over 5mph. Wind Riders brand, and in the local WM, they're right by automotive, among the motorcycle gloves and such, around $13. Foam padding inside the lens frames, which makes me feel a little better about getting popped in the face. (I've had a frame bruise around my eye from a wood block disintegrating at 1200rpm on a lathe before. Beats the hell out of losing an eye, but preventing/reducing that pain too would have been nice.)